


"Letting go hurts... a lot"

by Niknaksstuff



Series: Five Word Prompts [2]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-26 00:59:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14989298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niknaksstuff/pseuds/Niknaksstuff
Summary: This story was originally posted on Tumblr in response to @amaradangeli Five Word Prompt Challenge





	"Letting go hurts... a lot"

Ten minutes peace, that’s all he asked for. Why was it so difficult to achieve that? 

Jack O’Neill sat pensively in his office. He’d drawn down the blinds in what turned out to be a futile attempt to put off any would be visitors. Having only just shooed Daniel out of the door, he now stared at the telephone, willing it to cease its incessant droning. The noise was slowly drilling into his brain and making his already throbbing headache, reach epic proportions. 

Five words. That’s all it had taken to turn his world upside down. In the grand scheme of things, they weren’t even very impressive words. The Goa’uld have been eliminated - now those would have been impressive words. The replicators have been obliterated- now that would have been a game changer. But no. Yesterday, his second in command had looked up at him and handed him a small box. 

“Pete gave it to me,” she’d barely whispered. 

And there it was, the incongruous statement that had totally and utterly torn his world apart.

The ensuing conversation had been awkward at best. He hadn’t had a clue what to say. He knew what he should have said... if the situation had been different. But their situation was never going to be any different for as long as they both served in the same chain of command. 

And so, he had spent the whole day trying to avoid every person in Cheyenne Mountain, which was tricky considering he was in charge and people expected him to be approachable. 

He had tolerated the interruptions to his splendid isolation... just. But there was one person that he knew he really needed to avoid if he was to remain in possession of what little sanity he had left. Luckily for him, it became apparent that Carter was doing everything she could to stay out of his way too.  
Or so he thought. 

Escaping the mountain for the weekend had lifted his mood slightly. He had left strict instructions that he was only to be disturbed if the world was about to end... or Daniel had got himself killed... again!

He’d showered and changed into joggers and a t-shirt that had seen better days. The take away had satisfied his hunger even if he hadn’t really enjoyed it all that much. The beer had the desired effect and dulled his senses just enough that it made his problems seem that little bit more tolerable.

It was late and after clearing away the trash he took a final look around the room before turning off the light. 

The black ops in him sensed her there before she’d even knocked on his door. After hesitating, he pulled it open and swayed slightly as he looked at Carter, standing on his doorstep. 

“Sir,” she said, confidently.

“Carter,” he replied, cautiously. 

“Err... I hoped I could come in,” she continued after it was obvious that her CO appeared to have lost the ability to talk... or move. 

“Sure,” he grunted and then took a step back to let her pass. “Is there a problem?”

Sam looked around and then walked through to the dimly lit lounge. Jack followed behind, curiosity beginning to have a decidedly sobering effect. 

“Daniel seems to think so,” Sam answered. 

“Excuse me?” Jack screwed up his eyebrows and looked at her quizzically. 

“Daniel seems to think you have a problem,” she clarified. 

“Ah, he came to see you.”

“Yep. It seems he’s not all that keen on being thrown out of your office,” Sam glowered at him, insubordinately.

“I didn’t throw him out. He’s exaggerating as usual,” Jack sighed and threw himself down onto the sofa. 

“No, but you didn’t give him much of a choice - You can leave of your own volition Danny Boy or I’ll kick your ass out the door myself,” Sam mimicked his voice pretty accurately. 

“For cryin’ out loud, you know what he’s like when he’s drawling on about stones!”

Sam’s expression softened and she sat quietly down beside her CO. 

“He’s concerned about you - so am I.”

Jack looked up and he could see the sincerity in her blue eyes. 

“I just needed some time today,” he continued to stare at her and could see that she too looked tired. “Anyway, you weren’t exactly around much today yourself.”

“Did you look for me?” Sam asked hopefully.

“No.” He dropped his head and began twisting a piece of loose cotton through his fingers. 

“I thought maybe...” Sam hesitated as she saw his fingers still, “... maybe you might want to talk... about yesterday?”

Jack looked up then and the total and utter defeat that she saw in his pained expression almost broke her heart. 

“Letting go hurts... a lot.” Jack settled back into the sofa as if the enormity of his words had wiped out any remaining strength he had left. 

Sam was shocked. She turned to face him but he continued to stare at his hands. 

“You’ve known about Pete from the beginning,” she stuttered. “You didn’t seem bothered.” 

“I thought you were just having some fun. But now you’re gonna marry him.” 

“I told you I haven’t said yes.” 

“But you still haven’t said no.” Jack smiled, weakly. 

“Give me a reason to say no,” Sam challenged him. 

“You know I can’t do that,” he sighed heavily. 

“Why?” She almost spat out the word. “Because you don’t care?” 

“Carter,” Jack’s voice was stern. “You know that the regs...”

“Cut the crap, Jack,” Sam interrupted him. “Since when did you play by the rules?”

The atmosphere was charged with anger and something else that threatened to break down the invisible barrier that they’d constructed between them. 

“Since I fell in love with my second in command and knew that if I didn’t follow the rules I’d ruin her life,” Jack stared at Sam who looked as shocked by his declaration as he did. 

It took her only a few seconds to decide. She reached across and gently stroked his cheek before leaning in and pressing a slow, delicate kiss on his lips. He tasted of beer and Chinese take away and she knew then that her answer to Pete was always going to be, no. 

“Then you better start trying to find a way to bend the rules, General.” Sam stood and slowly made her way towards the door. “Because I don’t want you to let go.”


End file.
